In connection with manned outerspace missions, especially missions for landing on other celestial bodies, such as Mars, there are certain dangers that pose problems to be solved. On the one hand there is the danger of an uncontrolled introduction of terrestrial microorganisms or macroorganisms into the biospheres of other celestial bodies which have not yet been sufficiently explored. On the other hand, it is necessary to prevent an uncontrolled entrance of spurious gases, toxic compounds, and micro-biologic life forms as well as macro-biological life forms into the living areas of the astronauts in order to assure a certain return to earth. This prevention is of particular importance when the astronauts move freely or in vehicles on the surface of the celestial body.
For this purpose it is, for example, provided for manned expeditions to Mars, that the protective suits of the astronauts to be used for the missions on Mars' surface are stored in an accessible protection space or airlock where the suits are to be put on by the astronauts. For this purpose the astronauts leave their living area through a bulkhead and enter into the airlock that is maintained under the same surrounding conditions as their living area. The suits are put on and closed in the airlock and the atmospheric and climatic condition of the airlock are made equal to the surrounding conditions on Mars. Thereafter, the bulkhead leading to the outside is opened and the astronauts exit into the Mars environment. The bulkhead is then closed again, whereby an air flow in the outer bulkhead is intended to prevent the entrance of dust particles. Upon the return of the astronauts to their vehicle it is necessary not only to decontaminate the atmosphere within the airlock, but the protective suits themselves must also be completely decontaminated requiring a high effort and expense. Reference is made in this connection to U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,224 (Cohen) which discloses a suit-port extra-vehicular access facility which leaves room for improvement, particularly with regard to the interlocking and hermetic sealing between certain system components and other system components.
Conventional space suits that have been used in orbit or on the moon are distinguished from one another substantially by two different variants relating to putting on or taking off these suits. Both types of suits, or rather the methods for putting on these suits that will be briefly described below, appear to be suitable in principle for a safe use for the intended purpose.
A first type of spacesuit known by the acronym EMU (Extra Vehicular Mobility Unit) is entered into through the hip section, i.e. the pants or the spacesuit bottom is entered first. The upper portion is then slipped over the astronaut and then connected to the bottom portion. Finally, the helmet is put onto the upper portion and screwed to the upper portion. The supply of the protective spacesuit generally takes place through hoses that are not disconnectable. These hoses are either directly connected with the supply system of the spacecraft or they are connected with a supply module constructed as a carry-on item or the hoses are connected with a backpack.
A second type of spacesuit known under the acronym ORLAN is put on by entering from the backside through a back flap or opening forming a hatch. This known spacesuit consists of but one piece and is described in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,224 (Cohen). Once the spacesuit has been entered into, the supply of the spacesuit also takes place through a backpack, whereby the backpack simultaneously hermetically closes the entrance hatch.